Dear Editor: The Nerth Shore News’ ongoing assertion that a commuter rail link between the North Shore and down- town Vancouver would offer a simple solution to traffic problems is, unfortunately, grounded more in fantasy than’ fact (“Derailed,” North Shore News April 30 edi- torial). ~ Before promoting a commuter rail link any. further, the North Shore News really ought to talk to CN Rail. We did, and CN was quick tc point out that, on the rail line between the Lonsdale tunne! and the Second Narrows Bridge, there is no surplus capacity for the pur- poses of commuter rail. This corridor meets freight requirements but would require costly line work to be able to accommodate _commuter trains. Furthermore, the CN line, after crossing over the Second Narrows rail bridge, passes through a three-kilo- metre tunnel and ends up in Burnaby — nowhere near downtown Vancouver. For a North Shore commuter train to reach the city centre, it would have to switch in Burnaby and proceed tothe VIA Rail station at Main and Terminal where pas- :_ Sengers could then transfer to SkyTrain. In summary, such a service would be costly, complex “and would not offer a competitive alternative to buses, SeaBus or private automobiles. 4 me By se respi pac aioe a B.C. Transit has examined a variety of options for improving transit service betweea Vancouver and the North Shore --- everything from rapid transit to addi- tional SeaBus routes. Our findings are essentially the same as those reached by the provincial government and the Greater Vancouver Regional District in the Transport 2021 report — that with improvements to the road priority system for North Shore buses, it would be difficult for any other mode of transit to compete with the travel limes or cost-elfectiveness that can be achieved by buses. The distance is relatively short and buses are able to provide direct service between North Shore neighbor- hoods and Vancouver without the need for transfers. .B.C. Transit is working closely with the Ministry of Transportation and Highways on the Lions Gate cross- ing initiative to determine how transit can factor signif- icantly into a new crossing and has proposed a variety of measures to enhance service speed and reliability. Our aim is to be able to offer transit options on the North Shore that are fast and convenient, cost-effective and mect the needs of the travelling public. Derek R. Corrigan Chairman of the Board B.C. Transit SUCCESS TURKEY SHOP — over 65 turkey specialty items ground $ &B99 | turkey reg. $4.19 Seniors 10%Off every Tuesday | Open 7days ELECTROLYSIS Get to the root of unwanted hair permanently! 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EABIY BI30S ChLY —- 9 AU-HDON, HG ESCEPTIRS, SORRY S pankin Dear Editor: Rarely does-an article hit home ‘ “as much as.“On Sparing the Rod” “by Noel Wright that ran in the April 30 issue did. ‘ss Lam a new mother of an eight- ~ month-old child, which has led my *’. husband and I to have many talks on - child-rearing. As we. were both the recipients of a strict upbringing, which some- “times led to spankings, we can only use how we tumed out as a basis of support weekend outing: when above the clatter a child’s piercing voice could . be heard. My husband and I were not the only ones aghast by the sight of a _ child, two to three years ofd,.run- ning around tables and playing with - the cutlery on the vacant ones. The staff were being kind by try- ing to get the little darling away from other guests and back to Mom and Dad, but to little avail. carrying on their own conversation - to do anything more than telling the little one that it is not nice to bother ‘other people. I just hope that more parents of my gencration will be strict and dis- ‘ cipline their kids rather than letting them run-ioose for fear of being hauled off to jail. Statistics quoted (a 131% increase in crimes by ‘kids aged !2 to 17) 3 are frightening ones indeed. * After all, fost of us received one kind of spanking or another, and we are, for the most part, better off for it. Gabrielle M. Loren West Vancouver ® SROP IM A GLE CART 16 THE A VALLEY'S LARGEST CONTAIRER HGBSEGY. HISEGUNT 78 EVERY CUSTUMER Spending $100 or more on trees and shrubs. Advertorial ‘Tad White, M. P. Pg #302 1200 Lynn Valley Rd. vor Vancouver ~ ¥ 2A2 Feccgnont 666-0585 Fax: 666-0509. EMPLOYMENT EGUITY AGAIN ". ‘Whether or not spankings should be “used. , As We are both well-rounded and . .well-adjusted individuals who: are assets to society, we both agree that -. strict discipline and the odd spank- ing, if necessary, are: part of child ‘rearing. ~ It_-was by coincidence that. this. past Sunday we: were ut. a-tocal’ restaurant with our own little girl strapped into a high. chair- for ‘Sunday brunch... . ‘The restaurant was busy with the sounds of families. enjoying their NO MOW PROBLEMS Read Home & Garden and you could have no mow problems! Mom and Dad were teo busy , Theworldi is 70% water. | These shoesare 100% Naaptoot ‘New Balance American Classics. MK560 have all the performance and fit technology you find in New Balance running shoes. The only difference is, they look better with casual clothes and keep your feet dry. Pine Blanket BOX 36° x 18” BAL S roe Pamsaw IN STOCK «<- new ‘watonce MODEL¥ WIDTH Se rece mapa ae igo8 RUNNING AVAILABLE PROMPTLY BY SPECIAL ONDER Certain men’s models available to size 16; women’s to size 13 Order Yours TODAY! . 922-3156- 1554 ‘Manne Dr., West Vancouver The normai procedure for _intro- duction and passage of a Bill in Parliament involvas a brief introduc- tory First Reading, followed at a later date by Second Reading and several days. of oublic debate in Parliament. The next step is referral to Committee:where witnesses can ba called and amendments pro- posed, then Third Reading, during which additional dabates may occur before the final vote. However, a major abuse of our parliamentary system took place last Wednesday and Thursday. The ‘Liberal Government referred ‘its Bill C-64 on employment - equity. to .Commitiee before second reading. ‘The use of this process means that there is almost no public debate in Parliament, and the Bill gets rammed through, out of public sight in a “pressure cooker”: committee. Mr. Axworthy obviously’ wants this very controversial Bill to be passed very quietly with a minimum of pub- lic debate. - ; € RULES ABANDONED On Wednesday, May 17,1995, shortly after. the committee can- vened, a group of amendments to the Bill, proposed by Reform, wera ruled out ef order by the Committee Chairman because they were not immediately available in French. The Chairman took this ‘action even though committee rules spacifically. allow amendments to be introduced in either language without notice. The Liberal dominated commit- tee then passed a motion that“only five ‘minutes of debate would. be allowed per clause including the time it takes to read the clause and any amendments. Because of this, beth Chuck Strahl and mysell were prevented from asking questions of Human Resources Development witnesses or even uttering one word: of debate on many amendments. Clause aiter clause was. rushed through by the Liberal MPs and we - “Ottawa were virtually powerless, to stop the: process, : : If you happened to be watching the Parliamentary Channel. Thursday and Friday mornings, you _ would have seen Chuck Strahl and Ken Epp asking the Speaker of the _ House to rule that our parliamentary , privilages had been Violated by. the Committee. The Speaker, did not perniit me to speak on the i issua and ~ tuted: that nothing could be ‘done about our complaini until the com-.. mittee hearings were completed. That, of course, was. too late ; , bacause the Committee was busy” assing clauses even as Chuck was - ” asking the Speaker to intervene. It: should be noted that: my” Legislative . Assistant,: | Michae) Green, was a key partici-. pant in our filibuster, sitting with the Reform MPs until .after. midnight,” . helping with points of procedure and ’ strategy.. Despite our best, efforts. : alter we had held up the Committee : proceedings for more “than eight. hours, Mr. Axworthy got his wish. Canadians are gcing to have a° bunch of employment equity provi- sions rammed down their throats, and most people will not even know it has happened until it Is too late.’ THE BILL ‘Unfortunately, ‘there is insuffi; cient room in this report to give you details of the Bill, but { can tell you thal its contents make Liberal MP Marlene Catterall very happy, She” made it clear in Committee that she : wants to make sure that employers. in the private sector are forced’ to lower their usual, job: qualification : requirements for the benefit of pec- ple who the employer wouild not nor-:. maily consider for the position. Ms. Catterall -doesn’t appear to care = ‘whether people are competent to Go the job. but she is determined’ to make sure that employers are com-. pelled to hire and fire according to : Liberal Government instructions. ‘